While I haven’t listened to the audio yet, the text of this NPR article on a results-only work environment (ROWE) caught my interest immediately.
I’m pleased to see agencies beginning to experiment with different types of management styles, in particular for knowledge-worker positions, which don’t really fit well in our traditional manufacturing-based approaches. It certainly wouldn’t work well in every work situation, and it comes with it’s own perils as well, such as effectively setting boundaries for your work. However, it is still good to see that people are starting to realize that traditional work models are not always the most effective, and that people are actively seeking new solutions.
It’s interesting to see that this particular ROWE experiment is being tried out in a government agency of all places. Believe me, I’ve worked in government, and innovation isn’t usually a trait you associate with the usual bureaucracy you find there. Good for them for being forward-thinking.